Brazil secures group C top spot as Morocco also progresses

By Bilal Ahmed — 26 June 2026 — 4 min read

Brazil secured the top position in World Cup Group C after a 3-0 victory over Scotland in Miami. The win placed Brazil ahead of Morocco on goal difference, with both teams finishing on seven points. Morocco also advanced to the knockout stages after a 4-2 win against Haiti in Atlanta.

The match in Miami Stadium saw a full house of 64,478 fans witness Carlo Ancelotti’s side claim first place. Vinicius Jr was a key player for Brazil, scoring twice. This marked his continued strong performance in the tournament, where he has now accumulated four goals, placing him alongside players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, and one goal behind Lionel Messi.

Vinicius Jr’s first goal came in the seventh minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Scott McKenna. He then added a second goal in first-half stoppage time with a header. Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha scored Brazil’s third goal in the 60th minute. The game also featured the return of veteran striker Neymar, who made his first appearance for Brazil in three years as a second-half substitute.

Ancelotti praised Vinicius Jr, calling him “one of the best players in the world” and highlighting his excellent form. Ancelotti noted that Vinicius Jr’s four goals in three games demonstrated his capabilities, even mentioning that a header goal was rare for the player. The coach expressed no doubts about Vinicius Jr’s performance coming into the World Cup.

Scotland’s coach, Steve Clarke, acknowledged his team’s disappointing performance and result, attributing the loss to defensive errors that allowed Vinicius Jr to score. Scotland finished third in Group C with three points, and their chances of progressing to the knockout rounds for the first time in their history were described as unlikely.

Premier League players feature for Brazil

The Brazil squad that faced Scotland included a significant contingent of players from the Premier League, both current and former. In total, 13 players who participated in the 2025/26 Premier League campaign were involved in the match. This number was only surpassed by one other non-England fixture in the tournament, a 5-1 victory for the Netherlands over Sweden, which featured 16 Premier League players.

Brazil’s starting lineup alone included five current and three former Premier League players. Their goals against Scotland also had Premier League involvement. AFC Bournemouth winger Rayan, at 19 years and 325 days old, became the youngest Brazilian on record to assist a goal at the World Cup, setting up Vinicius Jr’s first goal. He was also the first teenager to start for Brazil in a World Cup match since Marco Antonio in 1970.

Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes provided the assist for Vinicius Jr’s second goal and later assisted Matheus Cunha’s goal. Guimaraes joins Kaka as one of only two Brazilians this century to record multiple assists in a World Cup game. Matheus Cunha is now the second-highest scoring Premier League player in this World Cup, with three goals, trailing only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who has four goals for Norway.

Morocco’s hard-fought progression

In their match, Morocco secured their place in the last 32 despite a challenging encounter against Haiti. They had to come from behind twice to achieve their 4-2 victory. Haiti, already eliminated from the tournament, took an early lead with an own goal. However, Achraf Hakimi, the African Footballer of the Year, equalized for Morocco in the 39th minute.

Haiti regained the lead in the 43rd minute through Wilson Isidors. Morocco quickly responded, with Ismael Saibari scoring his third goal in as many World Cup appearances to level the score again. Morocco finally took the lead in the 78th minute when substitute Soufiane Rahimi scored after Haiti failed to clear a corner. In the final minute, 20-year-old Gessime Yassine sealed the 4-2 win for Morocco.

Hakimi expressed delight at qualifying for the next round, acknowledging Haiti’s strong spirit despite their elimination. Haiti’s coach, Sebastien Migne, stated that his team, despite losing all three games in their first World Cup appearance in 52 years, would depart with an enhanced reputation. Morocco will now face the winners of Group F, which could be the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden, in the first knockout round on Monday.

Source: dawn.com